Explore the civilisations of the Mediterranean with Voyages to Antiquity

Discover the cradle of civilisation to the birthplace of democracy, embark on a cruise with Voyages to Antiquity to the places which shaped our modern-day society.

With three nights in a hotel in Cairo, two nights in Athens and 13 shore excursions included, the cruise departs on 7 November. 

During the cruise, passengers will visit the Norman Cathedral of Monreale, a short drive from Palermo in Sicily,  and explore the architectural heritage of Malta. Also on the itinerary are the ruins of Minoan Knossos, in Crete, and the ruins of Carthage, in Tunisia.

The 17-day trip starts with a 3-night hotel stay at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza hotel in Cairo. Fares from  £2,195 pp

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Saga's 2015 Gallipoli Anniversary Commemoration

On April 25, 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed in Anzac Cove. For eight months it was the base for army troops during the Battle of Gallipoli, where thousands of lives were lost on both sides. On April 25, 2015, Saga Cruises' Saga Sapphire will be anchored off the cove and a commemorative service on board will mark the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign.

There will also be visits to the Gallipoli battlefield and the Greek island of Lemnos, near the entrance of the Dardenelles, which acted as the muster point for the landings. The World War One theme continues with musical acts ‘to entertain the troops’, from tea dances to singers evoking the wartime era, plus fundraising activities for the Royal British Legion.

Passengers will also be invited to join the ship’s War Literature Club – a chance to read and discuss poetry, novels and letters from World War One, accompanied by an expert on this literary genre. The all-inclusive cruise also offers passengers the chance to discover the architectural wonders of Greece and its islands. There will be an overnight stay in Piraeus, with ample time to visit Athens and explore its ancient treasures.

Iraklion, Crete's largest city, offers a maze of historical delights, including the 16th century Venetian Koules Fortress and Fountain of the Lions built in 1628.

Saga Sapphire departs Southampton on April 5, 2015, for 31-nights visiting El Ferrol, Cartagena and Palma, Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; Piraeus, Syros, Thessaloniki and Lemnos, Greece; Canakkale, Istanbul, Anzac Cove, Turkey; Iraklion, Crete; Valletta and Gibraltar.

Prices are  from £3,499pp, including VIP door-to-door chauffeur service, all meals, drinks (house-branded spirits), entertainment, 24-hour room service, travel insurance and cancellation cover.

More Info: call 0800 056 8986 or visit saga.co.uk/cruises.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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New Offers From Oceania

Regular readers of Time Spent At Sea will know we are big fans of Oceania Cruises and their wonderful foodie style on board, with a magnificent choice of dining, all with a gourmet style and for no extra supplement. So, when the cruise offers role in, we like to highlight some of the best, and these latest ones from Oceania really take some topping.

Take your pick from:

March 28, 10-night Caribbean cruise, saving £959:
Oceania is offering a big saving on this voyage on their newest mid-sized luxury ship, Riviera. The 1,250 guest veseel will depart a round -rip cruise from Miami and call into the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia and St Barts. The price of £1,809pp (was £2768) also includes return flights from London, a $300 per stateroom onboard credit, all meals, and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks. 

May 5, 10-night Mediterranean cruise, saving £1,419:
This voyage also has a $300/stateroom onboard credit as it sails from Venice on Riviera. The ship will cruise down the west coast of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece, calling into Santorini and Kusadasi, before cruising the Aegean sea back to Athens. The sailing now costs £1,319pp (was £2,738).

June 28, 7-night Alaska cruise, saving £731pp:
Oceania is offering a $500 onboard credit per stateroom with all Alaska cruises this summer on board 650-guest Regatta. This departure also has a big saving off its 'Coastal Alaska’ itinerary, taking in the region’s most spectacular fjords and glaciers, including the Inside Passage from Seattle. The price of £1,569pp (was £2,300) again includes all meals, no supplement for speciality dining and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks. 

August 10, 14-night Baltic cruise, saving £2,465:
Embark the luxury 1,250-guest Marina in Southampton for an ex-UK cruise through Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden) and the Baltics (Estonia and Latvia), with a full three days (two nights) in Russia. The voyage is now  offered at £1,929 (was £4,394), plus a $200 per stateroom on board credit, and with a return flight from Stockholm. 

August 16, 10-night Mediterranean cruise, saving £1,594:
Take the family on an educational cruise during the school summer holidays, spending three full days (2 nights) in Haifa, and an itinerary that starts in Athens and also visits Crete, Limassol, Rhodes, Kusadasi (Ephasus), arriving into Istanbul, for a final day in the city. The cruise on Riviera now costs £1,319 (was £2,913), including a $300 per stateroom credit. 

For bookings, follow this link to our sponsors, The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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Grab A Luxury Oceania Saving

Food-lovers' cruise line Oceania Cruises is offering up to $1,000 onboard credit and savings of more than 50 per cent on select departures between October and May. These great new deals also include free flights, all meals, soft drinks and bottled water on board.

Those looking for a real cruise bargain can choose from:

November 1, Istanbul to Athens, 7 nights now from £912:
Oceania's 1,250-guest ship Marina features six fine-dining restaurants and no dining supplements and departs from Istanbul, calling into the Turkish coast and Greek islands, including Kusadasi, Rhodes and Crete. This 'Mediterranean Medley’ was priced at £1,807pp and includes all flights, meals and a $500 ship-board credit per stateroom. 

November 15, Istanbul to Dubai, 21 nights now from £2,322:
Enjoy the luxury of sailing on a smaller ship, free flights, a $1,000 credit per stateroom and a saving of £1,575 off the original fare. The 650-guest Nautica departs from Istanbul to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Oman and the UAE, arriving in Dubai on December 6. The cruise was £3,897 and also includes return flights, all meals, bottled water and soft drinks as well as the onboard credit.

December 20, Christmas in the Grenadines, 14 nights from £2,312:
Save £2,077 off a grand Christmas Caribbean cruise and enjoy free flights and an extra $300 stateroom credit. Oceania's newest ship Riviera will spend Christmas in the British Virgin Islands and Grenadines, with Christmas Day alongside the island of St. Vincent, Christmas Eve in Antigua and Boxing Day in Barbados. The 'Island Holiday’ cruise was £4,389, including free return flights, all meals, bottled water and soft drinks and ship-board credit.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.

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Fred Olsen Go Dancing!

Dance fans are in for a treat on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 28-night Black Sea cruise on board Black Watch this autumn. This exotic voyage – departing from Dover on September 25 – will feature the talents of professional dancer Debbie Snashall and dance duo Joanne Almond and Leighton Jones (above), as part of the cruise line’s award-winning Vistas onboard enrichment programme.

Black Watch calls first in Almeria (Spain), before visiting Malta’s lively capital, Valletta. Next stop is Piraeus, for tours to historic Athens, followed by the Black Sea ports of Varna (Bulgaria), Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta (in the Ukraine). The ship then makes for Turkey, where she stays overnight in Istanbul. Here, guests can choose to stroll around the Sultanahmet, take in the mosques, museums and the Great Bazaar, or explore the Galata Bridge and enjoy the many restaurants and shops of the modern city.

The cruise then continues to Çanakkale before returning to Greece, with a day in Iraklion, capital of the island of Crete. On the return journey, the cruise visits Palma de Mallorca and Gibraltar, where guests can visit the world-famous Rock with its popular Barbary Apes, or take advantage of the excellent Duty Free shopping, before returning to Dover on October 23.

Prices for this cruise start from £3,149, for two adults sharing a twin-bedded cabin, Grade ‘E’, and include all meals and accommodation, entertainment – including the Vistas ‘Dance’ theme – and port taxes.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

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Seabourn's Summer 2013 Selection

For those looking to plan ahead to summer next year, Seabourn offers extraordinary value on European fly and cruise-only itineraries. The 2013 European Cruise Collection offers 66 hand-picked itineraries on voyages ranging from seven to 21 days in length, exploring all corners of Europe and beyond, with some of the highlight destinations, cruises and fares including:

Mediterranean

7-Day Mediterranean Jewels; Departs June 6, 2013 on Seabourn Legend; Route, Rome to Monte Carlo, calling at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples, Trapani, Ajaccio, Cannes, Livorno (for Florence/Pisa), Monte Carlo and Monaco. Fly/Cruise prices start from £2,599pp.

Dalmation coast, Greek Isles & Turkey

7-Day Ephesus and Greek Isles; Departs May 11, 2013 on Seabourn Spirit; Route, Istanbul to Piraeus (Athens), calling at Canakkale, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Cesme, Mykonos,  Rethymnon (Crete), Miso, Nisos Melos and Piraeus. Fly/Cruise prices start from £2,439pp.

Northern Europe

7-Day Baltic and St Petersburg; Departs June 11 and 25 June 2013 on Seabourn Sojourn; Route, Stockholm to Copenhagen, calling at Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen. Fly/Cruise prices start from £3,269pp.

Prices include return flights from the UK and are per person, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive, including all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini-bar.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.



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Titan Expands No-Fly Cruise Tours

Titan Travel has expanded its no-fly cruising to Norway’s Fjords, Cape Verde Islands, the Iberian Peninsula, the Black Sea and France’s River Seine and Oise.  

Each tour begins and ends with the unique Titan VIP Home Departure Service ensuring passengers arrive at their destination relaxed and ready to enjoy the tour. In the UK, guests are driven directly to the hotel in which their holiday starts, bringing the holiday feeling right to their front door.   

Examples include the Taste of the Cape Verde Islands cruise, which takes in breathtaking landscapes from West Africa to the Southern Mediterranean, including Casablanca, Lanzarote, Madeira, Dakar in Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands. It’s a chance to experience colourful African markets, fascinating islands and a diverse range of cultures by sea. This 22-day no-fly cruise starts from £1,995 per person.  

Alternatively, the 29-day Voyage to the Black Sea sets sail in early Autumn for some of the Mediterranean’s classic treasures, including Gibraltar, Palma, Malta, Crete, Athens, Istanbul and then on through the Bosphorus to Varna in Bulgaria, Odessa, Sevastapol and Yalta – the Pearl of the Crimea. This 29 day no-fly cruise starts from £2,995 per person.  

Leaving Dover in early September, the 8-day Fjordland Splendour explores Norway’s fjords and the chance to cruise along deep-water inlets of mirror-glass water, looking up at high-waterfalls, colourful villages and mountain peaks all from the comfort of cruise ship the Black Watch. Eight-day itineraries start from £995 per person. 

For more information, look up www.titantravel.co.uk and for more on ex-UK cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK’s leading cruise-agent specialists.

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New Oceania Late Offers

How's this for a great little pair of special offers this week from upmarket Oceania Cruises and their fabulous new ship Marina (above)?

2nd November: Sands of Time 12-night Europe/Asia cruise, from £1,199
For an exceptional cruise through some of Europe and Asia’s most iconic destinations, Oceania is offering a saving of £1,061 per person on board their brand new luxury ship Marina. The sailing from Istanbul to Athens can now be booked from just £1,199 per person for an inside stateroom, PLUS a $1,000 onboard credit. The voyage embarks in Istanbul and continues to Ephesus, Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Jerusalem, Crete, Patmos and Volos before disembarking in Athens.

14th November: Splendid Escapes, 10-night Athens to Rome cruise, from £1,499pp
This magnificent sailing through some of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful and historic islands on board Marina is now from £1,499 per person, based on two sharing, including a $1,000 onboard credit/stateroom, all meals and complimentary soft drinks and bottled water.

For more info, visit www.oceaniacruises.com or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Grab An Autumn Bargain With Oceania

How's this for a great last-minute cruise bargain? We love the idea of Oceania Cruises at the best of times, but this could be THE deal of the autumn:

Departing September 19, Oceania Cruises’ brand new luxury cruise ship Marina (above) has a spectacular 12-night sailing from Istanbul to Athens from just £1,499 per person, PLUS $1,000 per stateroom onboard credit (a saving of £1,327pp).

The voyage embarks from Istanbul and travels to Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Jerusalem, Crete, Patmos and Volos before disembarking in Athens.

For more info, visit www.oceaniacruises.com or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Greece & Turkey The Celebrity Way

How's this for the Deal of the Day? Join Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Constellation on a 12-night Greek Isles & Turkey fly/cruise from just £1,262 per person this autumn (based on two people sharing an inside stateroom).

The price includes return flights from London Heathrow, transfers and a 12-night Greek Isles & Turkey cruise departing from Istanbul and calling at Kusadasi (for Ephesus, Turkey), Bodrum (Turkey), Rhodes (Greece), Marmaris (Turkey), Santorini (Greece), Piraeus (for Athens), Mykonos (Greece) and Chania (Crete) before returning to Istanbul; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price is based on October 13 departure.

For more info, visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk or the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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BIG Savings (And More!) with Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises has savings of up to 56% off cruises on board its mid-sized luxury cruise ships, plus an additional $1,000 on board credit per stateroom, allowing guests to make their cruise as inclusive as they want it to be. All prices are quoted per person, based on two guests sharing an inside stateroom and include all meals, complimentary bottled water and soft drinks.

Check out these examples:

7th September: ‘Jewels of the Aegean’, 12-night cruise Venice to Istanbul from £1,799pp

New ship Marina has a spectacular sailing from Venice with $1,000 onboard credit and a saving of £1,654pp. It cruises through the Aegean Sea via Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Corfu, Patras, Zakynthos and Athens before disembarking in Istanbul.

19th September: `Sands of Time’, 12-night Greek island cruise from £1,199pp

Marina has a spectacular sailing from Istanbul to Athens with $1,000 onboard credit and a saving of £1,264pp. It voyages through Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Jerusalem, Crete, Patmos and Volos before disembarking in Athens.

3rd October: ‘Jewels of the Aegean’, 12-night Aegean Sea cruise from £1,999pp

Cruise from Venice to Istanbul through the beautiful Aegean Sea via Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Corfu, Patras, Zakynthos and Athens on mid-sized ship Insignia with a saving of £1,182 per person, plus $1,000 onboard credit per stateroom.

1st October: `Roman Revelations’, 14-night Med cruise from £1,399pp

Cruise from Istanbul to Barcelona via Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, Marmaris, Alanya, Limassol, Haifa, Jerusalem and Valletta on Oceania's Nautica, with $1,000 onboard credit and saving up to £1,467 per person.

For more info, visit www.oceaniacruises.co.uk or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Head For The Sunshine with Celebrity

Join Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation for a sunshine-laden 12-night Greek Isles & Turkey fly/cruise from just £1,294 per person (based on two sharing an inside stateroom) this autumn.

The price includes return flights from London Heathrow, transfers and the 12-night Greek Isleas & Turkey cruise departing Istanbul and calling at Ephesus, Bodrum, Marmaris, Rhodes, Santorini, Athens, Mykonos and Chania (Crete), before returning to Istanbul; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price based on September 19 departure.

For more info, visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk or contact the cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Regent's New Eastern Med Voyage

This summer, travellers looking for a short, all-inclusive cruise with a difference will like Regent Seven Seas Cruises' new 7-night cruise which, in a first for the line, will be disembarking in Limassol, Cyprus.

Taking in the best of the eastern Mediterranean, guests can gain a real east-meets-west experience when the voyage sails from Athens to Limassol, Cyprus, calling at Aghios Nikolaos in Crete as well as Haifa, the port for Jerusalem, and Ashdod in Israel for the UNESCO World Heritage town of Tel Aviv.

As the world’s most inclusive luxury experience at sea, the lead-in fare of just £2,208 per person represents fantastic value as it includes return flights and transfers, onboard beverages, all dining (included speciality restaurants), unlimited shore excursions, gratuities, in-suite dining, 24-hour room service and more. The new cruise departs Athens on June 17 on board Seven Seas Mariner (above).

For more info, see www.rssc.com or the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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